Folding poultry-crate



H. B. CORNISH. FOLDING POULTRY CRATE.

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(No Model.)

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W/TNESSES (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. B. CORNISH. FGLDINGPOULTRYGRATE.

Patented July?, 1891.

'Y No. 455,661.

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g UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRiy E. OORNIsH, -OE HAMPTON, IOWA.

FOLDING POULTRY-CRATE.

sPEoIFIcATIoN Yforming pero ef Lettere Patent Ne. 455,661, dated Juiy 7,1891. Application filed March 20,1891. Serial No. 385,783. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it nu@ concern.-

Be it known that l, HARRY B. CORNISH, of Hampton, in the county ofFranklin and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Poultry-Crates, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to improvements in poultry-crates, and has for itsobject to provide a crate capable of being folded for returntransportation, and of being expeditiously set up to receive thepoultry.

A further Object of the invention is to provide a crate which will beexceedingly simple, economic, and durable.-

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part 0fthis specification, in which similar gures and letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure l is a plan view of the crate. Fig. 2 is an elevation of one sidethereof. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a side located at a right angle tothat illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a vertical cross-section taken onthe line 4 4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-section taken at a right angleto the section A 4: and upon the line 5 5 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is aside elevation of the crate, illustrating the same as partially folded.

The crate is constructed with a top A, a bottom B, two sides C of likeconstruction, and two sides D, differing in construction from the sidesC.

The top A is preferably made of a single metal plate having a number ofopenings 10 produced therein, the plate being strengthened by a seriesof ribs l1, extending from one side to th-e other.l The ribs arepreferably four in number, and are located at two sides of the plate atthe margins thereof and one at each side of the center, as illustratedin Fig. 1. Theribs are preferably semicircular, are hollow, and areprovided with horizontal side flanges, as illustrated in Fig. 4.

In the center of the top of the crate between the intermediate ribs l()a large Opeli- Ving is made, which is covered by a door 12,

hinged at one end and provided with any suitable form of look at itsopposite end. The door is also preferably made of a single piece ofmetal, and is provided with a number-of openings 13. The metal at theedges of one of the longest openings a, located near the centerof thedoor, is bent downward and horizontally beneath the plate, formingslideways 14C, open at one end, the said slideways being adapted for thereception of an address-card l5 or the equivalent thereof.

The top A of the crate is provided at its marginxvith a continuousdownwardly-extending flange 16. The sides C are each constructed of asingle piece of metal, and are provided with a series of Openings 17 inlike manner to the top. The sides C are connected at their upper edgesto the flange 1G of the top plate by means of hinges 18, saidhinges'being preferably three in number and located near the ends and atthe center. The sides C extend downward to the bottom B of the crate,and when the crate is in position to receive poultry the lower ends ofthe sides y C are in engagement with flanges 18, extending upwardfrom'the bottom, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and the said flanges arepreferably provided with openings to receive studs 19, located upon thesaid sides U.

The bottom B is perfectly solid, and may contain, if desired, a coveringof paper to protect it, which cover is held in place only by the sidesof the crate engaging' therewith.

The side pieces D are connected to the top and bottom of the crate in adifferent manner from that of the sides C. The said sides D are hingedboth to the top and the bottom of the crate, the hinge connection to thetop of the crate heilig effected inlike manner to the hinge-connectionof the side pieces C; butthe hinges employed to connect the sides to thebottom are strap-hinges 20, and are pivotally connected to the marginalportions of the bottom and to the centralportion of the sides. Thestrap-hinges are preferably made to correspond in number to the upperhinges 18.

The sides D at each of their ends are provided with hingedV extensions2l. The said extensions when the crate is setup stand at a right angleto the sides and overlap the side pieces C, forming corner-braces orre-enforc ing strips. The extensions 2l are prevented from being carriedout at more than a right angle to their, sides D by coming in engagementwith the flanges 1S of the bottom. Each side piece at its upper edge isvery much strengthened by having the metal bent over upon itself upwardand inward, forming two walls, as illustrated at l; in Figs. et and 5.The side pieces Dot the crate are provided with openings similar-tothose in the sides C; but the openings near the upper edges of the saidsides D are made quite long, and are preferably only two in number, eachextending from a point near the end to a point at one side of thecenter, as illustrated at d in Figs. 2 and l. The openings d thus madepermit parties carrying the crate to grasp the upper edges of the sidesD, which serve as handles, and the said edges will not eut the hands ofthe carriers by reason of their cylindrical contour, as shown in Fig. 5.

When the crate is emptied, the sides C are carried up in closeengagement with the under face of the top and the sides D are forcedinward at their lower edges, the extensions 2l having been first foldedinward. The orate at this time will assume the position shown in Fig. 6,and when the top of the crate is pressed downward against the bottom,the sides D lie fiat between them upon the strap-hinges 20.

In setting up the crate the sides D are first drawn outward to aVertical position, their extensions folded outward and then the sidepieces C are carried downward in engagement with the flanges of thebottom and against the extensions of the sides D.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patentl. A folding crate comprising a top, a bottom, twosides hinged at their upper edges to the top to t'old inward against theunder surface of the said top, and two other sides hinged at their upperedges to the top and to the bottom by hinges secured to the edges of thebottom and to the central portions of the said sides, substantially asand for the purpose set forth.

2. A folding crate comprising an apertured and ribbed top plate, a solidbottom plate provided with flanges at two opposite sides, apertured sidepieces hinged at their upper edges to the top plate and adapted toengage with the bottom flanges at their lower edges, apertured sidepieces hinged at their upper edges to the top plate. and connected bystraphin ges to the bottom plate, the said straphinges being located atthe outside of the side plates and engaging therewith near their centralportions, as and for the purpose specified. A

A folding crate comprising a top plate, a bottom plate having flanges attwo opposite sides, side pieces hinged to the top plate and capable offree movement over the bottom plate and for engagement with the flangesthereof, and side pieces hinged to the top plate and connected bystrap-hinges to the bottom plate, said hinges engaging with the sidepieces near their central portions, and hingedextensions located at theends of the side pieces provided with strap-hinges, the said extensionsbeing adapted to told outward at an angle to the said sides and constituting corner or re-enforcing plates, as and for the purpose specified.

HARRY B. CGRNISH.

Witnesses:

HENRY WHITE, WILLIAM H. LECKEY.

